Was this building once home to royalty? Yes. This blue plaque marks the London residence of Maharajah Duleep Singh. He was the last ruler of Lahore. He lived here from 1881 to 1886.
The Maharajah Duleep Singh Blue plaque commemorates a life of great upheaval. Duleep Singh was born in 1838. He was the youngest son of Maharajah Ranjit Singh. Ranjit Singh was the founder of the Sikh Empire.
Duleep Singh became Maharaja at the young age of five. His mother, Maharani Jind Kaur, ruled on his behalf. After the British victory in the Anglo-Sikh War, the British deposed him. The British exiled him to Britain at the age of 15.
Queen Victoria befriended the young Maharajah. She is reported to have said he had beautiful eyes and teeth. She became godmother to several of his children.
In London, Duleep Singh lived a life of both privilege and sorrow. He was initially lodged at Claridge’s Hotel. Later, he lived in houses in Wimbledon and Roehampton. Queen Victoria invited him to stay with the Royal Family at Osborne.
Duleep Singh eventually grew bored with life in Roehampton. He expressed a desire to return to India. Instead, the East India Company suggested he tour Europe.
He was given an annual pension of £25000. This was approximately £3000000 in today’s money. But there was a condition. He had to remain obedient to the British Government.
In 1861, Duleep Singh reunited with his mother. She told him about his Sikh heritage and his former empire. This meeting had a profound effect on him.
Later in life, Duleep Singh became disaffected with the British. He re-embraced Sikhism. The British Government forbade his return to India. He was arrested in Aden while attempting to sail there.
Duleep Singh died in Paris in 1893 at the age of 55. His wish to be buried in India was not honored. His body was brought back to Elveden Church in Suffolk. He was buried beside his wife and son.
This Maharajah Duleep Singh Blue plaque serves as a reminder. It marks the residence of a man who was a ruler. He was also a son, a husband, and a figure caught between two worlds. His story is one of power, loss, and cultural identity.